Respite and home help

[GreenPebbles]

I work as a carer and I am sometimes required to be live in for 1 to 2 weeks at a time. During this time some respite or other home help is scheduled to give me a break.

I am not very happy with the lady that comes. Earlier this week she went straight to the utility room and she didn't work with the person that she was supposed to mind leaving me to do it for the first 45 minutes. That evening I was in the utility room and I am stumped as to what on earth she was in there for.

So today's respite. She was an hour late. Came and made herself a cup of tea and sat in the sitting room in front of the TV.

The hours she's supposed to be doing, it's not true respite for me. She's not working for a company or agency and she's there in a private capacity for the family.

I'm not happy with any of this. I might still have 7/8 hours ahead of me yet and maybe even more depending on sleep.

I'm just not happy with this. Sitting having tea in front of the TV. While I am still carrying the bulk of the work and caring.

I had other respite this morning and that was great however it still wasn't really a break because I was doing chores but I got a lot done.

I guess I am writing this because I need a rest before night.

Is there a reason you can’t just give the person instructions?

Didn't you post this same thread the other day?

Tell her what you want her to do, kick her out of the living room and put you feet up.

Can you not go out and leave them to it?

That sounds very annoying and bad behaviour by the other carer, but it’s a bit hard to comment without knowing more about the setup. Are you employed directly by the family, or by an agency? If the family, can you talk to them and say the arrangement isn’t working properly to give you a break?. If it’s an agency, you should talk to them. Even if you’re living in, you need to have your breaks.

You may need to hand over very obviously and proactively to the relief carer and go out/ be your bedroom, at least the first few times.